JAPAN-DPRK: "INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS" TO TAKE PLACE

S E C R E T TOKYO 001548

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/6/2018
TAGS: PREL JA KN
SUBJECT: JAPAN-DPRK: "INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS" TO TAKE PLACE
IN BEIJING


Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer per 1.4 (b/d)


1. (S) Summary: MOFA Asia DG Saiki will meet Ambassador Song
Il-ho in Beijing on June 7 for an "informal exchange of
views" that will focus on abductions and other issues, Chief
Cabinet Secretary Machimura and Foreign Minister Koumura
announced June 6. Previewing these announcements earlier in
the day, MOFA told Embassy Tokyo that, depending on how the
talks go, the two sides could meet again more formally as
early as next week. End Summary.


2. (C) Japan and North Korea will hold "unofficial
working-level talks" at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing on
June 7, Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura announced
June 6. The Japanese will be represented by MOFA Asia Bureau
Director General Akitaka Saiki; his DPRK counterpart will be
Ambassador Song Il-ho. The two sides will engage in a
"relatively short exchange of opinions," Machimura continued,
adding that the informal talks will focus on abductions and
other issues to pave the way for the resumption of more
formal bilateral discussions. In a separate news conference,
Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura said that "it would be good
if the DPRK suddenly comes up with some kind of offer on
abductions...but I am not expecting much from the talks."


3. (S) Prior to the two announcements, MOFA Northeast Asia
Director Shigeo Yamada told Embassy Tokyo that the Beijing
meeting would be an "informal exchange of views" that would
last approximately two or three hours. Depending on how this
discussion goes, the two sides could meet again -- "as soon
as next week" -- on a more formal basis. It remains unclear
how these more formal talks will be billed; calling them
"normalization" or other talks will depend on the North
Koreans' attitude at the June 7 meeting, Yamada said.
SCHIEFFER